CAR NEWS

After the one in Maranello and the other in China, Ferrari opened its first Tailor Made Center in New York City. If  you want the last word in an ultra-exclusive Ferrari experience, new center is open at 410 Park Avenue in New York City. The Tailor Made Center also offers "standard" Ferrari Atelier Service as well as displaying five cars and housing an owner's lounge. On display at the opening event were some special Ferrari, including a gorgeous black&gold Pista 488 and a yellow SF90 Stradale.

A group of 21 collectible vehicles owned by the never forget Fast and  Furious actor Paul Walker will be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson's 49th  Annual Scottsdale Auction from January 11 to January 19, 2020. The   actor was a well known racing cars fan, with a collection that spanned "five decades of automotive excellence and truly reflected his personal   taste". The walker collection includes - among many others -  

a 1963 Chevrolet Nova Wagon, a 1989 Nissan R32 Skyline Race Car, a 1991 BMW M3 E30 Coupe, a 1995 BMW M3 E36 Lightweight - Factory LTW wing and race-livery delete, and a 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302S Race Car. 

After a great new pole and an excellent third time on second row on  Saturday,  Ferrari arrive 3rd, on Sunday, at the Russian Grand Prix  after a controversy between the two drivers on team-orders and bad luck.  Vettel, retiring due to some engine failure, determined safety car  before team-mate Charles Leclerc went back into the lead after pit stop.  Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas "gained" a pit stop  during the safety car period, 

which they converted into a solid victory  for Hamilton and a second place for Bottas. Leclerc, unable to get even  close to Bottas, finished third. 

A  lot of events are coming for car lovers. Auctions will be in Hershey,  PA, Las Vegas, NV, Chicago, IL. Many events with Ferrari Club of America  all over the Nation... and some special events, as well Rockville  Antique and Classic Car Show. On November 3rd in Austin, Texas, will  take place the US F1 GP. 

Next week end will be the last to visit “Universo Ferrari” in Maranello (Italy). This temporary exhibition opened on September 2, is alongside the private track circuit in Fiorano, very close the the Ferrari headquarters. Once  inside, you can get a very close sight of some of  the most beautiful  Ferrari cars, like a 2016 La Ferrari Aperta. Next to  it is a 2017 FXX-K  Evo, a track car carrying more than 1,000 hp. In  the outside area, are  also some of the most recent F1 Ferrari.  

Sebastian  Vettel (Ferrari) won the Singapore F1 Grand Prix, and the fireworks   celebrated also his teammate Charles Leclerc (second), even if the  21-year-old rising star gritted teeth showing some  disappointment. Ferrari’s  strategy cost Leclerc victory. The same  happened to Hamilton as the  Mercedes choices played a big role on his  final fourth position, behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

Maranello company is ready for the first ever Ferrari SUV. The car will be ready   for 2022 and his technical name will be FUV. It has already an  official  name: Purosangue (“pureblood” or “thoroughbred” in Italian).  It will  arrive with a front-mid-engine platform and hybrid drive  technology. It  will be the fastest SUV ever, respecting the Ferrari’s  ethos. 

Next  F1 GP in Singapore and its Marina Bay urban layout will see teams  change their strategies and techniques, switching the balance of power  back to Mercedes and Red Bull. The back to back Ferrari winner Leclerc is the first to admit it. "We need to stay realistic," said the  Monegasque. "I  think we expected that Spa and Monza would have been  very good races for our car but we also know that the next few races  will be much more difficult, especially Singapore."

Two  victories, one Sunday after the other. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) took  the second victory in a row from pole, during a very challenging race, in Monza (Italy). All the crowd of the Italian fans were crazy for him. He was pushed by Hamilton  (Mercedes) for the first two-thirds of the race as the British driver tried everything to pass him. Having used up his tires in the attempt, Hamilton finished third behind his teammate Bottas. The other Ferrari  driver, Vettel, spun and finished as 13th.

Fans are already leaking images of the new Ferrari 812 Spider. Official  presentation will be in few days, official pictures are supposed to be released this week, but so far the new Ferrari 812 Spider barely changes. Following what fans are saying on socials, the narrow opening situated over the driver's head is  going to be bounded by a thick header between the A-pillars on one side, and 2 buttresses behind the headrests on the other. New particulars and official pictures are coming very soon.

At the end of a very emotional race, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) won his first F1 GP in Belgium (Spa). The young driver dedicated the victory to the memory of his close friend and colleague Antoine Hubert killed in a F2 crash on the same circuit, less than 24 hours earlier. Second place for Hamilton (Mercedes) able to overtake Vettel (Ferrari) who finished 4th behind  Bottas (Mercedes). The German driver led the race for a while, but his car was slow and the team ordered him to leave Leclerc pass.

The Ferrari replica that played an integral part in the classic 1986 film  "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was one of the few sports cars that sold for  a  million-dollar sum at the Mecum auctions in Monterey,  California. The  bright red, sports car is a 1963 Modena GT Spyder  California, was set  for auction reacing 1 million dollar, after  starting the auction from  $300.000 dollars.

Ferrari  celebrated the 90th anniversary of Scuderia with an astonishing parade  in Pebble Beach and Monterey of some 60 of the greatest racing  Ferraris  of all time. Among many other there was a  1956 250 GT, 18958  250Testa Rossa, and a 1992 F40 Competizione. Everywhere, there was  another priceless piece of Ferrari racing royalty. Ferrari also showed  off its latest model, the stunning new hybrid SF90 Stradale Supercar. 

After  the summer break, the F1 Championship will be back in few days. The appointment is in Belgium, at the Spa circuit. The racers will start  the testing part of the long weekend on Friday. Once again, the  challenge will be among Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes teams. At the  moment the standing leader is stil the British champion Lewis Hamilton.  The Ferrari team, though, worked hard in August to improve the car.  

A 1931 Bentley 8 litre Gurney Nutting Sport Tourer took home the "Best of  Show" trophy at the Pebble Beach Concourse d'Elegance 2019, in  Monterey during cars week. The car was presented by Michael Kadoorie  from Hong Kong. Last year a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta  took the trophy home. In 2017 the title belonged to a 1929  Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer.

RM Sotheby's confirmed that the ultra-rare McLaren F1 LM-Specification, has been sold for $19,805,000 on Friday at the auction  company's Monterey sale. This is actually less than the dizzying $21  million-$23 million price estimated the car would go for. This car is  one of just two McLaren F1s to receive the LM-Specification upgrade. 

Monterey  in California is your place to be in this week if you are a truly car  lover. The Monterey Car Week (this year longer than usual) is fulfilled  with a lot of special appointments, such as - among many  others- the  Concorso Italiano, The Ferrari Annual Social, the Porsche Werks reunion,  many exclusive auctions, and the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance. 

There are almost 40 unique and very precious cars on auction this week in  Monterey. One of those is the Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond  1964 film "Goldfinger." Estimate value: $6 millions. Another big car is  the McLaren’s F1 a real masterpiece  from Gordon Murray; its value is  around $20 millions. 

Another  rare car is a 1951 Ferrari 340 America. The 1954-1959 Ferrari 0432M is   a rare and historically important automobile -also on auction this   week-, and at its heart is the prototype 3.0L short-block Colombo V-12  engine that became standard on the 250 GT series. On auction this week  also one of two Ferrari 250 California Spiders. 

The F1 teams recently agreed to have a 22nd race for the 2020 Championship  said Wolff. Liberty now can start working on the next year calendar. To  fit all the races could be possible more double-headers than originally   intended, with one suggestion being that the Australian GP season   opener on March 15 could be followed a week later by the Bahrain  GP. That could then be followed by the Chinese and Vietnam Grands Prix  running back-to-back right after.

Hamilton (Mercedes) won the Hungarian Grand Prix after starting as third, then   chasing and eventually passing Verstappen (Red Bull), thanks a perfect   run and strategy from his team. Sebastian Vettel finished third, with   his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc fourth, passed few laps before the   finish line. 

Michael  Schumacher’s son, Mick, celebrated his father and his F2004 F1 Ferrari  on Saturday in Hockenheim. The rising star drove the car for a  multiple laps trip on the German circuit. The F2004 was the last  winning  car used by Michael Schumacher to win his seventh and last  world  title.

The German one, on the Hockenheim F1 circuit, was the wettest and wildest this year's GP. Verstappen (Red Bull) conquered the victory after taking the control in the last laps. Second place for an incredible Vettel (Ferrari), who was able to drive from last position at start to second. Double celebrations for Kvyat (Toro Rosso), third place and a baby girl, born on the eve of the race. Leclerc (Ferrari), Hamilton and  Bottas (both Mercedes) all crashed (and not just them) due to the heavy rain. 

A  prototype of Pininfarina Battista "lightly evolved" will be shown in the latest version at the Monterey Car Week. Pininfarina  Factory - created thanks to the genius once already Ferrari’s partner-   announced the presentation of its pure-electric hypercar Battista at  The Quail, on August 16, 2019. The regular production will start in late  2020. In total, only 150 units will be made. The estimated price is  around 2 millions of Euro. 

Specialized  italian outlets has claimed in the last days that the Ferrari F1 team  manager Mattia Binotto has stepped away from the technical side of the  team and focusing solely on his tasks as team principal. Binotto's  decision may also be influenced by the impending return of Simone Resta,  the former chief designer at Maranello. The decision arrived when the  team is still trying to fill the gap with Mercedes and Red Bull. 

An unique Ferrari, a 375 MM model, will be offer in auction next monthh  in California during the Monterey Car Week. This kind of car was builld  in  only 26 models. It is a classic, bicolor car from the '50s, bodied  by Ghia. The estimated final price will be over the seven digits.  

Hamilton (Mercedes) won for the sixth time the British GP, taking the victory  over the teammate Bottas, during a safety car period. Bottas was  second, in front of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc who had enjoyed an  almost race-long duel with the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen, who was  fifth, and Pierre Gasly, who was fourth. 

Prestigious auction company RM Sotheby’s just announced that at the November auction in Abu Dhabi it will be possible to buy also one of the Schumacher’s Ferrari racing cars, the 2002 F2002. RM Sotheby's announced 10 early entries for the auction, and the  most special of the bunch is the car of the German champion. Schumacher dominated the field throughout the 2002 F1 season by  finishing first or second in every single race of the championship. The entry level offer could be around $2,300,000.

Miami F1 GP is far to be real, but Formula 1 is still sure it will  be very soon. The plans - together the new project about the Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium - needed more reviews and changes. Despite all the delays, the agreement with the city of Miami to host a GP in  the next 10 years is still on. Originally the project was to host a  street race around the Biscayne bay and the bridge. Now it seems new plan -maybe for 2020- is going to consider a track around the renewed Dolphins stadium.

Count down on for the biggest historic cars street race in the Country, the Pittsburgh Vintage Gran Prix.  The event will start and July 7th till July 21st to celebrate its 37th edition. What began in 1983 as a one-day affair is now an  11-day charitable calendar full of old fashion races, car shows, parties, parades and more. In calendar also a gala at Carnegie Museum  of Art, a countryside tour to Jamison Farm and a Jet Center Party where it will be possible to see a P51 Mustang fighter plane.

Max Verstappen finally made it. After 2 hours race and 2 hours investigation, Red Bull driver officially won Austrian Gp. Despite LeClerc (Ferrari) was ahead for almost entire race,  Verstappen was able to recovery a very bad start and at the very end he  overtook the young Ferrari driver, forcing to let him pass. The following investigation confirmed the victory. Bottas (Mercedes) arrived 3rd. Vettel (Ferrari)  won the duel with Hamilton for the 4th, after Mercedes driver broken his car front.

Lewis  Hamilton (Mercedes) won easily the Sunday French Grand Prix, after  conquering the pole on Saturday. Bottas (Mercedes)  ended second, after  defending his position from LeClerc (ferrari) who  arrived third. Fifth  place for Vettel (Ferrari) who started seventh from the grid. 

This  F1 season could be the last one for the Ferrari driver Sebastian  Vettel. Insiders are sure that he is considering to retire after   November. For sure there are only the not so good results of the team,   the very high pressure on him, and his very recent wedding. Vettel and   his long time fiancé Hanna Prater tied the knot right after the  Canadian  and just before the French GP. 

A  completely  restored Aston Martin DB5, used in James Bond 1964 movie  “Goldfinger," is going up for auction. On Aug. 15, a DB5 with full Bond  modifications, including a Browning .30 caliber machine gun in each  fender and wheel-hub mounted tire-slashers, will go up for auction in  Monterey, California, according to a press release from auction house RM  Sotheby's. The car’s estimated value could be between $4 million and $6  million.

Ferrari confirmed they withdrawn possible Vettel’s penalty appeal in Canadian Grand Prix but they're exploring other options. Vettel was handed a 5 second time penalty for the way he  “rejoined unsafely and forced another car off track.” “We withdrawn our intention to appeal and we are evaluating the right of review,” a Ferrari spokeswoman confirmed on Friday morning. The FIA Code  allows Ferrari to seek a review of the stewards’ actions in Canada, if  the team can provide new unknown elements.

Racing  Team Ferrari celebrates his 90th birthday this year. The Ferrari Museum in Modena is having a special exhibition to celebrate. The ‘90  Years” exhibition will run until May 2020. Enzo  Ferrari, already a  driver in the 5 years before, created ‘Societa’ Anonima Scuderia  Ferrari’ in 1929. With cars supplied by Alfa Romeo. And the team entered  its first race, the Mille Miglia, in 1930. The Prancing Horse and brand  didn’t become reality until 1932’s Le  Mans 24hrs.

Hamilton (Mercedes) won in Canada his fifth race of the 2019 Formula 1, after a five-second time penalty that stopped Vettel (Ferrari) to conquer his first victory. Vettel led the majority of the race and kept his advantage over Hamilton for all 70 laps. The penalty was decided for “unsafely rejoining the track”, that caused almost pushing Hamilton  into  the wall after the wrong move. Third place for LeClerc (Ferrari). Ferrari will possibly appeal Vettel penalty decision.

Ferrari just launched its most powerful street car and it turned out also to be a kind of eco friendly car, thanks to his plug-in hybrid electric system. 
The car, the street-legit 2020 SF90, is a 4 liter turbocharged V8 engine that generates 780 HP. To this you have to add an additional  217 HP from its 3 electric motors. The car can reach 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 211 mph. Its all-electric  range is only 16 miles though. The hybrid system added also an extra 595 lbs.

Ferrari is trying to have back Simone Resta, his former head of the vehicle  project, now with Alfa Romeo team. The move could help Ferrari to   strength the Prancing Horse team after the slow start in the 2019 F1   Championship. Resta  played a key role in shaping last year’s Ferrari –  the SF71H – which  for much of the year was the car to beat, so it’s  perhaps no surprise  that the Prancing Horse are pondering bringing him  back to help their struggling outfit.

Lewis  Hamilton (Mercedes) won the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, despite struggling  with his tires for much of the race. The British was able to defend his lead from Max Verstappen's (Red Bull) attacks until the finish line. He dedicated his victory to Niki Lauda. The Dutchman was penalized for an unsafe release after pit stop and also made late a contact with the  Brit. 

Vettel  (Ferrari) was promoted to second place due to Verstappen's  penalty, with Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) taking third after the  contact with Verstappen. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) crashed and retired. 

Second  place in the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix was a good day's work  for Sebastian  Vettel, especially given the Ferrari results on  Saturday. On Sunday he was able to take advantage of the penalty for  unsafe release in pit lane for Red Bull Verstappen. "Obviously, a great  result for us and the team," Vettel acknowledged after the finish. "But   we know we've got a lot of work to do. We know we're not yet quick   enough compared to these guys,” he added, referring to Mercedes.  

Niki  Lauda passed away on Monday, after suffering from a severe health  conditions following also a lungs transplant. Lauda has been one of the  most iconic champion of the Formula 1, winning 3 titles, paddock for  well over four decades. He conquered the first one in 1975 with  Ferrari. The following season he was lucky to survive a fiery crash at  the Nürburgring, which left him badly burned. The second title for Ferrari arrived in 1977. 

In 1982, he made his first  Formula 1 comeback with McLaren. Two seasons later he beat teammate  Alain Prost by just half a point, conquering his third title.  Following his second  retirement in 1985 there was a consulting manager role at Ferrari in the  1990s. In 2012 he became the non-executive chairman at the Mercedes F1  team. 

As  Carbuzz revealed  this week,  on May 31st Ferrari will reveal his new  hybrid  supercar that will come with a claimed 986 hp. The LaFerrari,  just to  compare, has 949 hp. The new model will also utilize a V8  instead of  the LaFerrari’s V12. It is still unclear whether the new  Ferrari will  have two or three electric motors. 

Huge success for the first Old Town Festival of Speed & Style car show in Alexandria, an unique event with dozens of rare supercars from around the world in the elegance & style of Old Town. The day included a magnificent display of high-performance  street and racing cars from the 1950s to '80s. Among a lot of  historical cars such as Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Austin-Healey, Cobra, and Mercedes for very close-up viewing, the most admired were Ferrari Testa Rossa and the newest Portofino.

With   the fifth Mercedes victory in a row, the 2019 championship fight is  already becoming boring, according to the majority of teams  managers. In Barcelona, Mercedes' advantage over Ferrari was greater  than ever. "We have problems in the slow corners," said Charles Leclerc  in Barcelona. "Hopefully a solution will be found soon." Ferrari's  growing deficit is despite the fact that an engine upgrade was  fast-tracked by two races.

It  is the "Events season": a lot of Ferrari events are coming for Ferrari  and sport car enthusiasts ... You can find all events in Bryan's Events Calendar. Following are some events in DC, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania: 

• this Sunday May 19, in Reading, PA, Ferrari Festival
• this Sunday May 19, in Alexandria, VA, Speed and Style
• June 1, Forest Hill, MD, with FCA-MAR
• June 15, Sterling, VA, with FCA-MAR
• June 16, Annapolis, MD, an Exotic cars show
• June 22, Coopersburg, PA, Snakes on the Mountain... 

Hamilton   (Mercedes) overcame Bottas (Mercedes) at the very beginning, then led   the race throughout, conquering his third Spanish Grand Prix in a  row. The Mercedes duo were joined on an identical podium to 2018 by the  Red Bull  of Max Verstappen, with the Ferrari pair of Sebastian Vettel  and  Charles Leclerc fourth and fifth, Verstappen maintaining his record  of having finished ahead of at least one Ferrari at every race this  season.

Mattia  Binotto, Ferrari F1 team manager, is sure. “Mercedes cars at moment are  slightly better than ours. But we are working hard and l’m sure we can  improve quickly”. The first test will be in Spain, in less than a week for the Grand Prix of Barcelona-Cataluna. Appointment already very important after the record start of the new season by Mercedes. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel seems ready to show his real potential. “In  the few first races of this Championship I didn’t show it.

But I hope to can do it very soon”. Maybe in Barcelona?  

RM  Sotheby’s is already working for the Monterey Car Week next August.  The famous auction company has announced some of the featured cars for  the  sale. Among them is an awe-inspiring Italian sports racer, a 1954  Maserati A6GCS factory team car, chassis 2078, that will be offered  after two decades of  ownership by an enthusiast who has driven it in  historic races and  rallies in the US and Europe. 

With his victory in Baku, Valtteri Bottas helped Mercedes to improve even more its winning opening incredible of this season. Hamilton  - always   Mercedes- finished second, in a very no selfish race. Sebastian Vettel  on Ferrari completed the podium in Baku, ahead of Max  Verstappen. Charles  Leclerc - the young Ferrari driver - was next up,  recovering decently  from his qualifying crash on Saturday and taking  his third fifth place  of the year.

It is not the engine or the body car. Ferrari cars suffer from tires. Sebastian Vettel is sure about that. The German driver believes  Ferrari's struggles to make its tires work properly is the more "dominating factor" in its Formula 1 car's performance being held back, rather than an aerodynamic weakness. The Mercedes was unstoppable  event  with a soft choice for both Hamilton's and Bottas' cars.

Sotheby’s  says that two famed racing cars of the  past — a very rare 1954 Ferrari  500 Mondial Spider and a 1957 Porsche  550A Spyder — will share pole  position at its upcoming collector car  auction at Villa Erba in  northern Italy.  RM Sotheby’s has set the price for the Ferrari in a  pre-auction estimated value at €4.250.000 to €4.750.000 ($4.791 million  to $5.355 million). The auction is scheduled for May 25.

With  Easter officially starts the thaw season for Ferrari owners and  historic cars owners. It's that time of year again! Saturday, April the  27th,  FCA-MAR will once again hold it's Spring  Thaw at the Travinia  Italian Kitchen located in the Village of Leesburg.  Socializing starts  at 12:00 Noon and lunch will be served at  1:30 pm.  Cost is $50 per  person. 

A   car more than unique, built for only 40 special owners. This is the  story of the Ferrari FXX K Evo. The car is a two-year production car   sold in 2015 and remains one of the most formidable track machines ever   built. Its 1,036 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque are provided by a  naturally  aspirated 6.3-liter V12 and a KERS style electric motor. And  now Ferrari  is testing a camouflaged example at the Nurburgring. For  sure something new is coming.

Easy  race for Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) in Shanghai. He won the 2019 Chinese Formula One Grand Prix, after taking the lead over the team-mate  Valtteri Bottas, who started on pole and finished second. Ferrari's  Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top three despite losing his place to  team-mate Charles Leclerc at the start. The  young Ferrari driver,  following the team orders, accepted to be passed by Vettel, and ended  the race as fifth, after Verstappen (RedBull).

Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick, made a hugely successful debut driving a F1 car in a test for Ferrari. The young Schumacher,  only 20 years old, drove  very fast. Fernando Alonso also returned to F1, conducting a tire test  for Pirelli in a McLaren at the Sakhir circuit. Schumacher, who won the F3 championship last season, is a member of the Ferrari driver academy and is racing in F2 this season for Prema team. He  finished  eighth and sixth in the opening two races in Bahrain last  weekend.

Ferrari  fans should be ready to reach Laguna Seca this May (10th to12th)  during the Ferrari Racing Days. Fans  will be able to see some of the most sought-after Ferrari production cars. The Italian firm announced Thursday that the Ferrari Racing Days will include the company's XX xperimental cars. For those who don't  know, the XX models are track-specific cars. Each XX car features new technology the brand wants to study and perhaps develop further. Recent models include  FXX K, FXX K Evo.

From April 5th to April 14th the Convention Center in DC hosts one of the nation’s top five auto shows by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, the Washington Auto Show, a world class event with the latest cars and historic vehicles displays. Along with the engineering prowess on display among the more than 600 new models from over 35 manufacturers, the 2019 show features VIP tours led by award-winning automotive writers and an exhibit area for “art” cars live painting.

Hamilton (Mercedes) won the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, his first of the season, thanks to some mechanical issues for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver had a great run but he finished third. Hamilton’s  Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was second while Sebastian Vettel  arrived only fifth after a spin in the first part of the race. Red Bull’s  Max Verstappen was fourth.

“Go behind the scenes and join us as we embark on a one-off journey to create our most extreme Special Project to date." Those are the words that Ferrari used in its first new images for a brand new upcoming Ferrari supercar. 

That's not just another supercar. It's going to be called Prototipo and it's a one-off project that will be. In fact, the Prancing Horse wants you to save this date: March 25th. Ferrari will premiere a film about the special one-off project on its official Facebook page...

Ferrari F1 drivers are sure. Sooner or later the team will show the real potential of the car. In Bahrain the Prancing Horse could prove it. But nothing at the moment is sure. “Last year we left winter  testing with problems on the car” Vettel said. “This year the  problem that we have has nothing to do with what we have seen last year. We went in Australia with the car behaving as we expected. It felt very good. All the numbers and so on make sense that weekend, but clearly we missed something.

Right now, we don’t have an  answer.” Sakhir  is a traditional circuit with a less bumpy, more  abrasive surface. Ferrari is expected to be back, hopefully... 

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) won the first GP of the new F1 Championship, after  overtaking the teammate Lewis Hamilton at the start. Lewis Hamilton  arrived second, but he wasn't happy, over all about the 20 seconds of delay in Melbourne's Albert Park circuit. 3rd place for Verstappen (Red Bull). 4th  for Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), the man many  thought came into the weekend as the favorite, asked  his team over the radio: "Why are we so slow?" They said they had no idea. Leclerc finished 5th.

Ferrari   team was ready for a different start... The team principal  Mattia  Binotto, after the first F1 race in Australia clearly says fourth and  fifth in the Melbourne Grand Prix does not reflect the potential of  its  2019 car. Vettel qualified third on Saturday but was beaten to the   podium by Max Verstappen in Melbourne, while Charles Leclerc closed up   on a struggling Vettel late on but was told to hold position. “You are   right, it’s not what we were expecting,” Binotto said.

“I think winter testing was certainly different, but since Friday FP1, we never found  the right balance on the car, and we struggled with the tires." 

Best  car, and best improving team. Ferrari seems have all the good chances  to be the winner brand in the 2019 Formula 1 championship. In a week,  starting from Melbourne, in Australia, the wait will be finally  over.  All the numbers and the latest tests say Mercedes has a good car  but  with some delays. The experts say good chances are also for the new  alliance Red Bull-Honda-Toro Rosso, and other teams like McLaren, Alfa  Romeo and Renault.  

The   “Black Car”, “La voiture noire” -original in name in  French - from Bugatti is the new most expensive car you can buy right  now, with a total price around $12.5 million. Presented in Geneve, it is  a one-off tribute to the Atlantic, a coach-built car built atop the  Type 57SC platform from the 1930s. For one time, the comparison with the   movie car Batmobile doesn’t seem something exaggerated but just very   real. 

For  those with a passion for vintage cars, the arrival of the Amelia  Island Concours d’Elegance is the sign spring is almost here. The appointment  is divided in concourse and action. The concourse is scheduled  for  Sunday, March 10, with the Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase,  Mercedes-Benz 500K and 540K, Porsche 962 race cars, and many others. 

In other words, the half-dozen auction houses staging sales at  Amelia,  representing both the big names and lesser known operations, are hoping to improve the 2018 results: a $80 million take on 334 cars. 

Ferrari confirmed that it will introduce a second mid-engine platform  alongside the the 488, paving the way for a more affordable model and a  possible  return of the iconic Dino nameplate. Ferrari’s senior vice  president of commercial and marketing, Enrico Galliera confirmed that  the storied  carmaker will add five new models or variants to the roster  for 2019.

“There's not a lot I can say because we prefer to announce  the product  when it's arriving, but the first one will be announced in  Geneva, which  is in two weeks time so is very close”, said recently Galliera. 

Vettel's Ferrari  marked an overall 0.397s ahead of anyone else and his team mate  Charles Leclerc was equally impressive during the first tests in  Barcelona, Spain. During the week also Renault, Toro Rosso,Alfa Romeo  and - of course- Mercedes marked great times. But everybody was  impressed by the great difference between the 2018 and the 2019  Ferrari, and by how the new car seemed “easy to drive”.  

The   F1 circuit is ready for a great return. Long-time Dutch GP venue  Zandvoort and established MotoGP circuit Assen are rivals in their  ambition to bring F1 back to the country for the first time since 1985,  to capitalise on the popularity of Red Bull star Max Verstappen. In  this way, Zandvoort  has secured an exclusive agreement to try to  negotiate a deal with championship bosses by the end of March 2019, with  the intention of  hosting the returning F1 races starting from 2020.

A   1991 F40 Ferrari with an incredible past – including starring on a   reality television show during its restoring and eventually belonging   to a parking lot operator who scammed the U.S. Department of Veterans  Affairs out of millions and subsequently getting seized by the FBI – was   sold at a U.S. Marshals auction last week for the amazing price of   $760,000. After the 2013 restoring, the color of this car is a   brilliant deep black. Still unknown the name of the new owner. 

The name is SF90, and it is the new F1 Ferrari 2019  painted with a "red" never seen before. The name is to celebrate the  Italian manufacturer's 90th anniversary. In Maranello, the new Team  Leader Mattia Binotto, with the two official pilots Sebastian Vettel and  Charles Leclerc, unveiled the new Ferrari.  CEO Louis Camilleri was  present together with John Elkann, Ferrari President, that said this is  the new era of #essereFerrari ... On Monday, in Barcelona track, first  laps. 

The Chicago Auto Show,  the largest US autoshow, is open to the public till February 18. Alfa  Romeo used the Chicago Auto Show to debut a new variant  of its 4C  Spider. You'll be able to spot the 4C Spider Italia thanks to its  exclusive Misano Blue Metallic paint job, piano black front air  intake  and rear diffuser, and special graphics on its sides. That said,  you  probably won't see many at all, since only 15 are destined for US  soil.

Following  the first images of customer team Haas's new design, Ferrari looks  ready to adopt a unique double-stacked exhaust system with its 2019  Formula 1 car. Rather than having the two turbo wastegate pipes exiting  at the side of the main exhaust like other teams, they are experiencing  with mounting them both on top.

Many Ferrari Club of America groups are celebrating Enzo Ferrari's Birthday (he was born on February 18th 1898 in Modena, Italy). FCA Mid Atlantic Region gather in Rockville, MD, on Sunday 17th. 

Ferrari announced profits last year rose 46 percent, driven by a surge in V12   sales and vehicle customization. Ferrari on Thursday reported 2018 net profit of 787 million euros ($904 million), up from 537 million euros   the previous year. Shipments rose 10 percent to 9,251 vehicles, while   net revenues were flat at 3.4 billion euros. Ferrari forecast profit  for  2019 are about another jump of 10%. 

The Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai circuit has been ever present on  the calendar since the inaugural race in 2004, and this year’s race  will be the 1,000th race in F1. Head  of global sponsorship and  commercial partnerships Murray Barnett, in  Beijing for an F1 strategic  marketing conference, told few days ago: “We would love to have a  second race here in China”.

Fernando Alonso have just added another big trophy to his amazing driver career. In one of the wettest 24 hour races at Daytona, it wound up  being a  race of survival than performance. In the end, it was the  Konica Minolta  Cadillac team of Fernando Alonso, Kamui Kobayashi,  Jordan Taylor and  Renger Van Der Zande who outlasted the rain and won  the Rolex 24 at  Daytona for Wayne Taylor Racing.

One  of the most exceptional cars is ready for auction. One that ran twice  at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is the Ferrari F40 twin-turbo, 471 hp  celebration of 40 years of the prancing horse. All the F40s were red.  With one exception. This one’s blue. After a few changes of owners, it’s  stayed in the same hands since 2008. It’s up for sale at R.M. Sotheby’s  Paris auction in early February. This chassis, 74045 was a  pre-production car. 

The  Detroit Auto Show  - open till Sunday, January the 27th -  has featured  the launch of  some breathtaking new vehicles. Many of the main automakers are on the  verge of releasing a number of new electric vehicles. Cadillac will  launch its first EV in 2021. Lincoln and Ford are  promising electric  options on their upcoming models. Volkswagen’s ID Crozz will go into  production this year. The company has committed to bringing 15 electric  vehicles to the global market by 2025.  

The Detroit Auto Show will move  next year from January to the second June week. 

 Mick   Schumacher, the 19-year-old son of legendary Formula One driver  Michael  Schumacher, will be part of the Ferrari driver academy. In a  statement  posted on the F1 team's, Mattia Binotto -Scuderia Ferrari's  team  principal - said Ferrari was signing the teenager based on his  talent  and "human and professional qualities". 

"For  someone like me  who has known him from birth, there's no doubt that welcoming Mick (F3  2018 champion) into Ferrari has a special emotional meaning, but we  have chosen him for his talent and the human and  professional qualities  that have already distinguished him despite his  young age," Binotto  said. 

The  price could be around 6 millions of dollars. Or maybe a couple  more.  Constructed in 1964 and carrying assembly sequence No. 1, chassis  06003,  the first-ever Ferrari 275 GTB is now available to any Ferrari  fan out there with enough cash and drive to get it. It  will go under  Gooding & Co.’s hammer, Lot 143 of the Jan. 18-19  Scottsdale  Auctions. it is one-of-a-kind automobile served as Ferrari’s  prototype  and development car and competed in the 1966 Monte Carlo Rally. 

British F1 expert journalist Tony Jardine just dropped the "bomb".  Lewis Hamilton could finish his carrier with Ferrari. Hamilton is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in sport history, having claimed his 5th world championship last year. He is contracted to Mercedes until 2020, and Jardine think his next move could be to Ferrari."Yes, after those 2 years he might finish his career at Ferrari with a 2-years deal with them: Ferrari is a dream for every  champion" Jardine told Express Sport.

The  famous Rally Dakar, started on January the 6th is going to end on Jan.  17th. Buggies, UTVs, SUVs, trucks, cars, motorbikes and quads are all in  the mix. In total there will be 334 vehicles: 167 bikes/quads, 126  autos/UTVs, 41 trucks. Race loop is 5,000 kilometers (about 3,107  miles). Entire event stays in Peru; beginning and ending in Lima.  Americans can watch on NBC SPORT starting Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Whole  Formula 1 community has been paying tribute to Michael Schumacher on  the seven-time world champion’s 50th birthday. Schumacher  remains the  most successful driver in F1 history based on drivers’ championships and  GP victories, with 91 wins to his name in a career that spanned 19  seasons. As he turns 50, still recovering from a tragic ski accident,  number of messages and tributes have been shared by drivers and former  colleagues, including Lewis Hamilton, Ross Brawn, Jean Todt.